Grinding fixture



Aug. 4, 1936. v J, c. rnwujERA 2,049,490

l GRINDING'FIXTURE Filed May 7, 1930 4 sheets-sheet 1 f) .l 1w Milam ATTORNEYS.

Allg. 4, J. C. DRADER GRINDING FIXTURE' Filed May 7, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 w d m Mm R E w Nn ma m N )A lh y M M QB Aug. 4, 1936-` J. c. DRADER 2,049,490 GRINDING 'FIXTURE Filed May 7, '1930 4 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR J5ff/7 C .grader TTORNEYS.

Aug. 4, 1936. J, c, DRADER r2,049,490

GRINDING FIXTURE Filed May 7, 1930 4 sheets-'sheet 4 INVENTOR Jsep? C'. r'ader ORNEYSY Patented Aug. 4, 1936 Umso s'rgrs GRINDING FIXTURE Joseph C. Drader, Detroit, Mich., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Michigan Tool Com pany, a. corporation of Delaware Application May '7, 1930, Serial No. 450,554 4 claims. (ci. 51-124) This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for cutting circular cutters, particularly cutters of the kind which are adapted to form splines on a shaft.

The main objects of the invention are to provide apparatus for accurately generating cutting edges of proper contour on the teeth of a circular cutter; to provide means of this kind for cutting the teeth of a circular cutter to a contour which is adapted to form splines having radially offset side spaces on a shaft by the molding-generating principle; and to provide apparatus of this kind which comprises a fixture of simple and inexpensive construction that may be conveniently mounted on the bed of a conventional metal Working machine.

Further objects of this invention are to provide improved means in a fixture of this kind for effecting in the coaction between a. cutting element and a cutter, the rolling action which exists between the teeth of a pair of inter-enl gaged gears; to provide adjustable means by which a xture of this type may be conveniently conditioned for machining or grinding cutters having generating circles of various diameters; and to provide means for adjustably positioning a cutter blank with respect to a cutting element before the gear teeth rolling action thereof is concerned.

An illustrative embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a iixture embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of a grinding fixture. K l

Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing regulating apparatus with which the fixture is provided, as viewed from the rear end of the fixture.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a circular cutter in working engagement with a shaft upon which splines are being formed.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the operation by which the teeth of a circular cutter are ground to a generated contour suitable for forming splines on a shaft. Y

In order to form splines having radially offset Iside faces on a shaft in themanner in which teeth vare formed by a circular cutter, it is neces- .50 sary to provide teeth `on a circular cutter which would mesh with avgear having teeth identical in contour with the splines. This mayv be accomplished'advantageously by a grinding or other v.cutting 'operation in which the generating circle of a circular cutter blank is rolled without sliding on a circular path of a diameter. equal to that of the generating circle ofthe spline tobe ultimately formed. If, during the above rolling action, the blank-is held in contact with a grinding or other cutting element-wheel which isrotated 5. about an axis perpendicular to the axisof the n blank and which has straight flat sides, each oiset radially with respect to the axis of the blank an amount equal toene-half the thickness of the spline, the cutting element will form 1f0 curvatures on both sides of the teeth ofthe cutter which will roll on the radially -oiTset faces of the corresponding splines of a shaft. rThe opposite sidesof theteeth vof' the blank, however, are preferably machines-in separte operations. When a cutter so formed, is reciprocated axially of a shaft and simultaneously rolled relative Vthereto in the above manner, the sides of the rteeth'of the cutter gouge out spaces in the periphery ofi-the shaft for their accommodation, `20

lleaving splines having radially oi'lset side faces between the adjacent spaces. Y

- The problem encountered in the presentinvention is to provide a xture for rolling a cutter blank relative to the peripheral portionv of a 25 grinding wheel or-other cutting element in thef" manner in which a cutter would roll with respect to a tooth of a gear with which it meshed.

For the purpose of ease in description I will refer tothe cutting element as a grinding wheel, 30

which form is showninthe drawings, it being l"understood that other forms of cutting elements Vmay Abe advantageously employed in its stead under favorable circumstances.

In the formshown the fixture includes a base 35 I and spaced upright transverse support 2 which comprise frames having registering openings therethrough. The upper sides of the support 2 are provided with registering apertures 3 in which a pivot l is rigidly mounted and fixed by 40 set screws 5. Journaled on the pivot 4 between Vthe supports 2 is a bearing 6 having an integrally formed upright plate 'l thereon which extends above Athe support 2. A dovetail projection 8 formed on the rear sideof the plate l extends into arsimilarly shaped recess 9 of a plate Il) which is slidably mountedon the swingably supported plate 1. The recess 9 of the plate I0 is wider than theprojection V8 ofthe plate l and in the space between/the adjacent right ends of the projection and recessis provided a gib II which is securedl in adjusted position by a set screw I2.4 Formed on the lower end of the slidably mounted plate l0 is a bearing i3 which is ,55

located between the supports I and 2 and below the pivot 4.

The shiftably mounted plate I0 carries a bracket I4 in which is journaled a screw I5 which extends into a threaded aperture in the dovetail projection 8 of the plate 1. 'I'he screw I5 is secured against axial movement relative to the bracketI4 by an enlargement I6 on the screw located below the bracket I4 and a collar I1 which is seated on the upper side of the bracket I4. Rigidly secured to the upper end of the screw I5 is a crank I8 having handles or crank arms I9 thereon. The plate I0 and bearing I3 Ymay be adjustably positioned relative to the plate 1 and pivot 4 with substantial precision by rotation of the screw I5. i

mounted plate I8 is a shaft 20 which has a section 2I at its right end, as viewed in Fig. 1, of enlarged diameter forming a shoulder 22 which abuts the right extremity of the bearing I3. Collars 23 are secured to the shaft 2U Yadjacent the left extremity of the bearingl3, as viewed in Fig. 1 so as to cooperate with the shoulder 22 in securing the shaft 20 against axial movement relative to the bearing, The shaft 20 extends through the central hollow portion of the rectangular Yframe-like support 2 and its respectively opposte ends extend beyond the latter support. A threadedpart 24 is provided on the right end of the shaft 20 for receiving a cutter blank 25 which is rigidly mounted on the shaft by a nut 26.

Journaled on the left end of the shaft 20 is a drum 21 on which an upright arm 28 is rigidly mounted by a screw 29. The left en d of the pivot 4 also extends in advance of theleft support 2 and is provided with a drum 30 which is rigidly secured thereto by a screw 3l threaded in the end of the pivot. The'drum 21 of the shaft 20 is releas'ably secured against rotation relative to the shaft 20 by a detent 32 slidably mounted in a vsleeve 33 on an upright member 33' which is journaled on a bushing 34 on the shaft 20. The detent 32 is engageable in knotches 34 of a disc 35 which is mounted on the extreme leftend portion of the shaft 20 by a nut 36 and secured against relative rotation to the shaft 20 by a key 31. v

Mounted on the left support 2 as viewedin Fig.`3, are a pair of brackets 38 and 39 located on respectively opposite sides ofthe pivot 4 and secured to the support by screws 40 and 4I respectively. A pair of flexible bands,p'referably comprising-metal straps 42 are each secured at one end to the bracket 38 by bolts V43 and disposed in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the end of Fig. 3, around the drum 30 of the pivot 4. These bands pass between the rollers y3l) and 21 and are wound a fraction'of a convolution in the opposite direction upon the drum 21 of the shaft 20. The lower extremities of the bands 42 are secured to the drum -21 by screws 44.

A third band 45 is secured at its upper end to the bracket 39 by a bolt 46 and wrapped around the drum 30 of the pivot 4 throughout a fraction of va convolution in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed'frorm the end of Fig. 3. Thisband also passes between the rollers or drums 3U and 21 and is wound in an opposite directionV on the accommodate the thickness of the bands 42 andY 45. During swinging or oscillating of the bearof the sleeve 33 so as to secure the upright member 33' against oscillation relative to the arms 28.

Pivotally and shiftably mounted on the lug 52 is a lever 55 which is pivoted at 56 to the detent 32as shown in Fig. 4. The lever 55 is normally urged in a clockwise direction about its pivot 51 by a spring 58 which is secured at one end to the lever and at its other end to the lug 52. The detent 32 may be retracted from the notch 34 of the disc in which it is seated by lifting the right endof the lever 55 as viewed in Fig. 4. When it is desired to rotate theshaft 20 and the cutter 25 thereon relative to the drum 21, the detent 32 l is raised in the above manner so as to permit free rotation of the disc 35. If it is desired to rotate the shaft and cutter a distance less than the distance between the successive notches 34 of the disc 35, the screws 53 and 54 may be manipulated so as to rotate the upright member 33 on which the detent 32 isrmounted together with the disc 35 in either direction. Y In operation, the xture is mounted upon a shiftable table of a machine which has a spindle 59 on which is mounted a grinding wheel 6D with the axis of the shaft 28 substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spindle. The grinding wheel 6E! has a straight at side 6I which is substantially normal to its axis of rotation and a peripheral portion 62 approximately perpendicular to the ilat side 6I. The remainder of the periphery of the Wheel is cut off as shown at 63 in Fig. 6. Y The ilxture, with either a plain cutter blank, or a blank which has been roughed out mounted on the shaft 20 thereof, is moved toward the grinding wheel 60 so as to gradually bring the blank into grinding engagement with the wheel. When the cutter blank has reached a position directly below the spindle 59, the shaft 20 is oscillatedor partially revolved about the pivot 4 upon the arcuate path indicated at 64. During this movement of the shaft the drums 21 and 30 and bands 42 and 45 cooperate to rotate the shaft and the cutter blank 25 about its axes in a timed relation to the vrevolving movement of the shaft so as to cause the generating circle indicated at 65 in Fig. 6 to, in effect, roll upon the generating circle indicated at 66 which has a diameter substantially equal to the generating Ycircle of the splines 61 two properly meshed gears during rotation of the :65

latter about Vxed axes. As the grinding side of 'the wheel is straight. and offset relative to the center 68 which corresponds to the center of the generating of the circle 66 of the spline, the wheel grinds away or gouges out, the material of the cutter blank 25 forming teeth 69 thereon which have side faces that are adapted to roll upon teeth of a meshed gear having radially olset side faces corresponding with the side faces of splines. During-this operation'the table (not shown) of the machine upon which the fixture is mounted, may be reciprocated to insure proper grinding of the entire length of the cutter teeth, but ordinarily the grinding wheel will be of sufiicient diameter and the cutter teeth of sufficiently short length to eliminate the necessity of such reciprocating movement.

When a cutter formed in the above manner is simultaneously reciprocated and rolled with its generating circle rolling without slipping upon a generating circle which is concentric with the center of a shaft and equal in diameter to the circle 66, the teeth 69 of the cutter form splines on the shaft having radially offset side faces.

With the grinding wheel shown in Fig. 6, only one side of each tooth 69 may be formed, but by subjecting the cutter blank to a grinding operation identical to that described above, upon a wheel having a flat cutting surface on the side thereof opposite to the side 6I of the wheel 60, the other side faces of the Vteeth may be formed. This may be accomplished by removing the wheel 60 from the spindle 59 and replacing it with the cutting side 6I on the right side, as viewed in Fig. 6.

The cutter blank 25 may be rotatedl through predetermined distances so as to bring the corresponding side faces of successive teeth into registration with the wheel by retractingY the detent 32 from the notch 34 in which it is seated and rotating the disc 35 which is keyed to the shaft 20 until the detent registers with the next successive notch. In this manner the corresponding side faces of all of the teeth of the cutter may be ground in succession.

By manipulation of the adjustable bolts 53 and 54, the cutter may be rotated relative to the grinding wheel 60 without swinging the shaft 20 about the pivot 4 so as to properly position the periphery of the wheel between the teeth of a roughed out blank before oscillation of the shaft about the pivot 4 is commenced.

The distance between the pivot 4 of the fixture and the axis of the shaft 20 may be varied by manipulating the screw I5 by means of the crank I 8 thereon, so as to determine the location of the path 6I in which the shaft is oscillated relative to the grinding wheel and the fixture may be conditioned for forming splines on shafts of various diameters by providing drums 21 and 30 which correspond in diameterl respectively with the diameters of the generating circle of the cutting tool and the generating circle ofthe splines respectively.

The necessary clearance of relief for the cutting edges of the cutter mayv obviously be ob'- tained ina number of different ways such as, for

instance, by positioning the axes of the shafts 4V and 20 at an angle to the path of `movement of the supporting table (not shown) where such table is reciprocated during the grinding operation, or by suitably positioning the cutter relative to the surface of the grinding wheel where the latter is of sufiicient size, with respect to thecutter teeth, to eliminate the need of reciprocating such table. n

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

1. In a fixture for guiding a dressing tool, a support having a pivot thereon, a bearing member swingably mounted on said pivot, a shaft journaled on said bearing member having means for rigidly securing a cutter blank thereon, a pair of drums one on said pivot and one on said shaft, and flexible members attached at their ends to said drums and wrapped thereon for positively rotating said cutter blank in timed relation to the arcuate translation thereof during swinging of said bearing member.-

2. In combination with a rotatable spindle having a grinding wheel thereon, a fixture having a pivot substantially perpendicular to said spindie, a bearing member swingably mounted on said pivot, a shaft journaled in said bearing having means for rigidly supporting a cutter blank, the axis of said shaft being parallel to the axis of said pivot, a pair of drums one on said pivot and one on said shaft, and iiexible members attached at their ends to said drums and wrapped thereon for positively rotating said cutter blank in timed relation to the arcuate translation thereof during swinging of said bearing member.

3. In a fixture for guiding a dressing tool, a support having a pivot thereon, a bracket journaled on said pivot, a bearing memberv adjustably mounted on said bracket, a shaft journaled on said bearing member, means coacting with said bracket and bearing member for varying the distance between said shaft and said pivot, means on said shaft for securing a cutter blank thereon, a pair of drums, one on said shaft and the other on said pivot, and a band secured to said drums and wound thereon for rolling the generating circle of said cutter blank on an arcuate path during swinging of said bracket, said arcuate path being variable by changing the distance between said shaft and pivot and the diameters of said drums correspondingly.

4. In combination with a grinding Wheel, a fixture including a, support having a pivot, a bearing member swingably mounted on said pivot, a shaft journaled in said bearing member having means for securing a cutter blank thereto, a pair of rollers, one journaled on said shaft and the other fixed on said pivot, a band secured at its respectively opposite ends to said rollers and wound thereon in respectively opposite directions, and variable coacting members on the drum of said shaft and on said shaft for forming a positive driving connection between said shaft and the drum thereon.

-JOSEPH C'. DRADER. 

